10 Reasons Why You Should Drink Lemon Water

So I’ve been really focused on my health over the last year and I recently ran across this article. I’ve been drinking 48+ ounces of water a day & most recently learned the great benefits of adding some fresh lemon juice to your water.

1. Boosts your immune system: Lemons are high in vitamin C, which is great for fighting colds. They’re high in potassium, which stimulates brain and nerve function. Potassium also helps control blood pressure.

2. Balances pH: Drink lemon water everyday and you’ll reduce your body’s overall acidity. Lemon is one of the most alkaline foods around. Yes, lemon has citric acid but it does not create acidity in the body once metabolized.

3. Helps with weight loss: Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which helps fight hunger cravings. It also has been shown that people who maintain a more alkaline diet (see #2) lose weight faster.

4. Aids digestion: Lemon juice helps flush out unwanted materials. It encourages the liver to produce bile which is an acid that required for digestion. Efficient digestion reduces heartburn and constipation.

5. Is a diuretic: Lemons increase the rate of urination in the body, which helps purify it. Toxins are, therefore, released at a faster rate which helps keep your urinary tract healthy.

6. Clears skin: The vitamin C component helps decrease wrinkles and blemishes. Lemon water purges toxins from the blood which helps keep skin clear as well. It can actually be applied directly to scars to help reduce their appearance.

7. Freshens breath: Not only this, but it can help relieve tooth pain and gingivitis. The citric acid can erode tooth enamel, so you should monitor this. I admit, I’m slightly worried about it.

8. Relieves respiratory problems: Warm lemon water helps get rid of chest infections and halt those pesky coughs. It’s thought to be helpful to people with asthma and allergies too.

9. Keeps you zen: Vitamin C is one of the first things depleted when you subject your mind and body to stress. As mentioned previously, lemons are chock full of vitamin C.

10. Helps kick the coffee habit: After I have a glass of hot lemon water, I actually don’t crave coffee in the morning. This is weird, I can’t explain it, but I’ll take it.

The one thing I couldn’t find a concrete answer for is why the water has to be hot. Having studied Chinese Medicine, I can only assume that cold water likely provides a shock or stress factor to the body. It takes energy for your body to process cold and really hot water, believe it or not. I asked BluePrintCleanse how much lemon the recommend you put in your water. They suggested just a wedge or 1/8 of a lemon.

Tip: Drink your warm lemon water in coffee cups that has coffee or tea stains. The lemon water will help remove them.

Tip: Grind the used lemon rinds in your garbage disposal to help deodorize it.